Tech thoughts III: can’t spell thugs without “hugs”, top-5 games and Fu’ the coaching/recruiter!

Virginia Tech football (currently) reminds one of this little gem: “You become what you accept…” which is one of the better idioms I’ve encountered in the last handful of seasons of the game of Life.

The Hokies are at a place where palliative or holistic approaches may fix pain— tho’ modern era p.c. crowd of Pure Chickens or cuckness seldom fixes problems. Hospice need not apply after what happened @O.d.u. last campaign. Nor after the quad-butt-kicking, we took slumping our way home prior to a rivalry streak and a bowl-streak saving rather valiant set of last-ditch final stands; plural indeed. That’s life on the edge gents. Although life on the edge does tend to cut both ways. As you need to fish or get off that pot and stop edging along before you rip your self to shreds. 2019, however, opens with at least a semi-edgy game on tap up on Chestnut Hill. And then the cultural retest game vs. 7-5-7 (now) stalwart O.d.u. at home and then an under the Hill contest later on after that. Nonetheless, where is this V.Tech football culture in -thus far- a relatively tame off-season in R.A.T.T. terms? Read on, to find… out!

Thugs need hugs

Don’t believe me? Just ask Frank.

Don’t believe that? Just ask Frank’s… kids!

The real Q. is... what A. will you get... if you ask Fu's, kids?

As last season (2018), the very same names kept coming up over and over and over as behind the scenes stinks went —player(s) and Staffer(s), alike. And quite frankly, with some of them? You and Will’s TOS do not wanna lean in and take a big whiff of what my little eye did spy.

Because it is like defusing a bomb after Dresden has already gone off. And although never a farmer professionally or even part-time… even I know that there is no need guarding the barn after the horses have all run away. (i.e., sum or at least a good deal of these names are now somewhere else… although so is some rather smart talent and a very sporting amount of playar gridiron experience itself).

As a recall, my name is clearly beside you side-up with and ride with players in only about 5% of player vis-à-vis cultural and/or coaching spats. Most of the time it is indeed the pedestal baller crying: “wolf” when the coaching staff is the one actually filled with K9 or fang-D.N.A.

Or in other words… if the participation trophy don’t fit, you must acquit.

Nevertheless, a couple of staffing names kept coming up over and over last campaign and a couple of those of names are now campaigning somewhere else. So maybe; just maybe, a few of last years players -be they currently here, or not- did actually have something stuck in their cultural or coaching ethos, craw. 

Maybe… as even publically dropping a “maybe” bomb is pretty damn rare. Tho’ rare is how I like my crow men, so here goes nothing…

Either way… I am sure of one thing… and I sure hope this thing has been dialed down a scosche or at least one full cultural reinforcing “decibel.” Top-down volumizing is what I mean for clarity Hokie fans.

As you need not be a member of a classic rock-n-roll band to know that “VOLUME” is the cheapest trick of them all.

And that’s something that Frank -to his Hall of Fame credit- learnt and ratified very early on. Kids with a missing father, a missing mother, raised by a guardian, raised by an aging grandparent, raised by an older Aunt/Uncle (or by even a younger one); or jus’ plum raised by themselves per their typically smoked up and beat-down drugged-out peer group out on the street(s)… are at best from a Freudian gender role model imbalanced environment. Again; that’s the very best-case the glass is 45% full scenario and in the worst case -the glass is busted- as in twice empty as patristic or matristic role models go. And if they are from that particular Nobody Cares Cul-de-Sac and born into rookery and/or basically from a family tree where all limbs are severed?

They are far far far more used to “VOLUME” than you or I.

Vastly. Entirely. Thoroughly. As their ears and (sadly), their hearts-n-minds have long ago learned how to tune all of that out. The streets are a deafeningly “loud” place right now where lung-power and pure unbridled anger tend to rule— be that via verbal bluffing or via the self-aggrandizing goto card of packing cold hard steel. (i.e. how many of today’s knucklehead ballers carried or still carry a hand-cannon?) Because when you do it does embed a sense of safety every bit as much as it can make you feel like Kevin Costner and Sean Connery or: “Untouchable”. St.Linus bless, although easy to discipline and/or control this type of streety security blanket does not one make.

Nevertheless, their hearts-n-minds are indeed susceptible to the one thing they’ve never had… or should I say never: “heard”?

***

As you are playing right into their streety cultural game when you “yell” at them. Hell’s-bells, they’ve been yelled at for most of -if not for all of- their entire lives. ~20 decades worth of scream and you and your uppity you toe my cultural-line my way verbal sparring matches way don’t even stand a chance. You are the visiting team on their Street. As nobody has ever won a fight or an argument in the history of history itself. (as both create a clinical textbook residue… typically a negative or revanche one… file that one away…)

Nobody has won any of that every bit as much as nobody has ever defeated a… hug.

And let’s keep it real here folks… how do you defeat something you’ve never had?
(i.e. something that all glaring jerky street-hubris aside, something that you actually; crave)

oOo

As hinted at above the same names kept coming up and over and over and over and Frankly speaking -pun very much intended- where there is that much smoke there is bound to be some fire.

As yes, a little to some yelling or textbook Threat or Coercive power does have its points and it does have its place. (in particular in a Terminal Contact sport and/or mortality based vocation… i.e. in the Military, Police, Firefighting, coal-mining, et al). Because if you don’t get their attention there, there may not be a next, time.

Nevertheless, Coercive Power is unanimously ranked or rated as the lowest (or the worst) of the five classical bases of power.

(why? because it wears peeps longitudinally down the longer/or the more often you use it– and for the fact that you MUST use it (i.e. you simply must make good on a “threat/punishment”; eventually). Because if you do not crack someone with that whip; literally, you’re flogging your very own threat— which has no teeth if you never actually bite-down… mmmmK?)

Now, last year we saw what a culture of “yell’ looked like— and eventually what it smelled like too. Well, until Fu’ -in a stroke of rescue-animal last second cultural genius- brought in two new and very referent power based respected voices (the recent Sam Rogers and the older Cornell Brown) to say or reinforce his same old things a brand-spankin’ new way.

As his same old voluminous things had just gone a nearly culturally belly-up 85 points for vs. 170 points against during an o for four jaunt that culminated in a nearly culturally-killing let go the rope and spit the O&M bit 22-52 pistol-whipping the ‘rong way up @Pitt. (a game where numerous Hokies went Owens Dining Hall and cardinal sin loafed on plays or simply took entier plays entirely off).

That I have never O&M seen before gents. Even the lowercase Beamer Big East teams were still rock-throwing whores whereas the 2018 team spent most of late October and a good sized chunk of November simply throwing-up.

And do recall… at that stage, we had already run off what few true lead-pipe hit back when they got hit alpha-dawggs that we had. Then the lockeroom and even Fu’s piously well-intended cultural mantra of #HardSmartTough went from tried and true to tired and through.

If only there was someone Fu’ could call?

Someone who is the pioneer of not only a Special Teams revolution, someone who figured out how you family and therapy thugs first, second, third …last? When you are on top, in the middle or on the bottom. You codify them and treat them the same. You treat thugs to hugs.

     As the post-2018 season, and the pre-2019 seasonal reports, hints, and vibes all say… that Fu’ has tried to move closer to the team. He is watching (per classical textbook Hawthorne Effect) and he is participating (classical leading from the front); right there in the trenches with the troops in the off-season weightroom Schema & Culturalization campaign his own self.

That at least showcases proximity and proximity typically showcases caring. Whereas the end game pic’ @Pitt only showcased… distance.

Sports -unlike your family-reunion and/or inlaws- IS the one place where you can actively  “choose family”.

We call it recruiting and then we call it culturalization once on campus.

Yes, Fu’ has to be his own man… he need not be -and prolly cannot be- the next grandpaw Frank. However, he does need to be closer to his team. As caring -same as leading- is best demonstrated top-down where (legitimate) emotional gravity and lockerroom chemistry or gravitas is always on your side.

 

Robb Stark: “How Can a man still be brave when he’s afraid?
That is the only time a man can be brave.” Ned Stark

“Percussores opus cubantem piis foveamus amplexibus.”

Because no matter how much your lungs try… yelling them down will never equal loving them up.

And the risky, volatile, hard to manage, although downright talented thugs that a Virginia Tech…
-unlike a Clemson/Alabama- has to afford and/or has take… thugs need hugs, too!
Don’t be too phobic of moving at least a little closer to them Justin.
@Virginia Tech you two needs each other!

And unlike screaming at thugs?
Hugging thugs is actually the braver thing to do. 💯

Fu‘ –the Gestalt Theorist 1o1?

(mid-script: come take a cyber bow BlackwaterHokie for putting me onto this, scent!)

Prior to Fu’s Memphis arrival… believe it or not, the Tigers were actually a semi-respectable football recruiting program… and when viewed through an American Athletic Conference lowercase mini-me mid-major prism? They managed to separate the wavelengths on their available talents and their outright recruiting takes pretty dang well. Check it out…

  • 2009 Memphis national recruiting ranking=65th
  • 2010 Memphis national recruiting ranking=71st
  • 2011 Memphis national recruiting ranking=77th

After Fu’ arrived, however… he caught no Tiger(s) by the tail and when based upon his recruiting rankings alone, you have to wonder out loud how he lived to tell the tale?

  • 2012 Memphis national recruiting ranking=92nd
  • 2013 Memphis national recruiting ranking=90th
  • 2014 Memphis national recruiting ranking=78th

However, then, after he started to actually win @Memphis with a sharp looking 10-win 2014 season which he followed up with a nearly as serrated nine-win 2015 effort his national recruiting ranking R.A.T.T. did this…

  • 2015 Memphis national recruiting ranking=77th
  • 2016 Memphis national recruiting ranking=61st
    (including some bum of an Rb named: Darrell Henderson!)
    (who was only 1st-team All-Amerian as a sophomoric Rb just last year!)
  • 2017 Memphis national recruiting ranking=56th* (mostly a Fu’ class)

Q. How did Fu’ turn such small-market basketball school’s football recruiting rebound?
A. Coaching the (verb) is how.
Proof of concept if you will.

The only O&M caveat being; Fu’ is on a Hokie descent. Whereas he was on a Memphis ascent from day no.1.
Or in other words… this modest or lowercase 2019 SOS (strength of schedule)?
It could not have possibly happened to Virginia Tech and to
Coach-Fu’ at a better time men.

And if Fu’ can rally the troops culturally back to winning itself?

As history says his recruiting will indeed follow where his VicTories; lead.

Here are my Top5 reasons to be impassioned about the 2019 Virginia Tech football season in a chronologically particular, order…

  1. @Boston College: (4 PM, ACC Network | 110th in returning production): let’s see… round no.1 of Fu’s fourth season gone year no.1 cultural reboot… “ding“! That plus we are all gonna find out in prolly 30 minutes or less, maybe even ≤15 minutes or maybe in just the first few Flying Eagles 2019 series of offensive-football just how much plug-n-chug help all these off-season JuCo Dt’s (defensive tackles) have brought to the all-time worst/flattest batch of Bud Lyte’s formerly low-water mark of a 106th nationally ranked run-defense upfront. Gonna be a lotta questions answered by the best Rb (running back) in the A.c.c. this season P.D.Q. folks. And they are gonna be answered early, often and late. (not to mention that A.J. Dillon + his back-up (David Bailey) = just south of 220v worth of 500 lbs.! And now when you mix in the can run 229 lb. Qb1 (‘tony Brown) and their pretty decent jet-sweeping Wr (Benji Glines, 6′2″, 225 lbs., r-Sr.) and his very impressive 380 yards rushing last year… you have a whole helluva a lot for our newbie Dt’s to grow into in a hurry. What with a still whispered to be hurting De, Ho.Gaines questionable on the edge for this debuting 2019 season opener.
    Additionally, Boston College ranks 110th in the nation in returning production (whereas we/Virginia Tech is a near shocking 11th best in this total team return metric)! i.e. we do actually bring a lot back —and with only seven that’s (7) 2019 seniors? We are gonna bring even mo’ 2020 back. So right about now or at least before 2019 closes for business would be a good time to grow-up and fill-in the ranks. As there are not that many built-in 2019 excuses per the aforementioned Charmin schedule and there will be even more experience and therefore even fewer excuses come 2020.
    Nevertheless, and in 1-hole conclusion… as we all saw last time right here, the Boston College defense figures to start out so-so, to middleocore; if they even start out at that. On the other hand… the same can be said of the possible final incarnation of Bud Bøck. Because if this lunchpail halt-unit starts out 2019 average? They have actually come a very long 2018, ways.
    Or in other words, someone’s offense is gonna have to go ahead and win this one and show out as each O is facing a modest stop-unit definition—  be that via carrying the day (BeeCee) or per winging the night away (Ry’ on wheat).
  2. O.D.U. high-noon, ESPNU | 111th in returning production): the cultural rematch or should I say the cultural retest 2019 round no.2: ‘ding’! And yah; a certain Wr (Wide Receiving) transfer -who once upon a time (had) planted some 24060… Roots- may wanna go Kumha Kinte upside our now at least semi-fierce Old Dominion Tidewater bragging rights head! Did I mention the fact that this was the Upset of the Year in all of D-1 men’s football for 2018, yet? Did I mention the fact that this one is a potential candidate for Upset of the Decade for the 2010s, yet? Did I mention the fact that the Monarchs crowned lowly Va.Tech via chasing our O&M court-jesters off of THEIR football field over in the Norfork area post-game (see: pic)? Which one could dare say caught my tape-breaking eye indeed and prolly bent a few Hokie bird feathers upon entry to boot.
  3. @Miami (TBD | 86th in returning production): aaaaaahhhh yah… think this kid might want a little something-something wif’ us? This, kid, does, not, like; us! He does not seem to like much of anything for that matter and neither does his (current) club. However, he sure did love dropping the gangsta signature swagg of: “Da U!!!” right upside our collective VT.edu graduation ceremonial heads whilst receiving his Fighting Gobbler undergraduate diploma just last month. In case that is not transparent enough for some of you… it is entirely apparent to me that Hill pretty well hates our living guts. And he might just hate Hilgirth and/or Fu’ even more than that. Hill is gonna “plum git after us” and unlike @O.d.u., he’s coming to hydrate on our blood. And that’s just his pregame chug. As this kid is temperamental on a good day… never mind if he finds himself motivationally: locked, cocked and ready to rock. Bet the over on Hill’s sack total on any Vegas Prop line blind, (now). Thank me, (later). (and you can prolly bet the over on his personal-foul total and surely his pure potty-mouth S-talking and jaw-jacking total in this one). This kid may be an idiot… tho’ he will be a hyper-critically motivated idiot and he’s a very dang talented edge-rushing idiot either way. As you R.A.T.T. gotta give a ready to play Hill this round 10-8, maybe even 10-7 if he remains eligible and plays the full entire 60 minutes sans ejection? Time=tell on that one as well…
  4. @Notre Dame 2:30, NBC (97th in returning production): the fighting-Irish under “Touchdown Jesus” on national-TV. ’nuff said, right? How ’bout the fact that they pretty much are a consensus Top-10 nationally ranked D-1 preseason football team? That, and you’d have to think they will prolly want a little 2016 getback on Fu’ here, too.
    Now that being said, this is about as green-wood a N.Dame hosting squad as you will see with just about half the 2018 Irish O and D are gone in 2019 terms. So now is as good a shot as we will ever get to upset them 548 miles nor-by-nor-west over at the other “Havard of the Midwest” at So.Bend.
  5. @U.Va. (ABC or ESPN | 55th in returning production): African-American Friday… and guess hoo’s coming to Thanksgiving Day dinner+1? Oui oui! The team you love to hate? The team hoo-has to be positively chomping at the bit to host us over in gay paris where they may never get a better shot at stopping the (potential) ~5,844-day streak or at starting a ~365-day streak of their very own. Because as things stand right now… uva has been standing down and bending forward at the CNN.blue.libby.lib.Tee.Jay.wigged.out.waxed.lawn waist for what? Since the K/T boundary? Since the Civil War? Or since an eon or so +/- a decade give or take? Yah; something like that, or at least since 2003 more or less. As the mighty-mighty Hokies are 20-3 all-time in Commonwealth Cup contests. Bettcha did not (precisely) know that one; did yah? Yah, me three on the “me neither”… although I do know that Virginia Tech holds the third-longest active winning streak against a conference rival in college football. There is that, and there is also a 95% winning percentage vs. the cavaliers since MV1 truly nationally jump-started the whole O&M shebang his own self.
    As Virginia Tech has truly owned, pwned and basically ad-hoc pimped all things C’ville hooVa ever since. To take all of that the final step furthest of all, according to my 36 hours of McBryde Hall calc’ and stats? There have only really been four or five years where “pimpin’ ain’t easy” or the issue was in any true measure of pre-game doubt. As 2/3rds or .667 of the fifteen game win streak VicTories have been decided by not less than 1.5 full plays!
    Hooever, and on the other hand, the wahoos have not always laid back and enjoyed it, as they have played triumphant V.P.I. to within a ½ play one outta three times during the Commonwealth Cup streak including last years overtime thriller. And as we all know…
streaks are meant to be, broken?!?
p.s. Re: Returning Production: Over the last five years, 35 teams have returned at least 80 percent of their production. 28 of them (80%) improved, and 17 (or 49%) improved their adjusted scoring margin per game by at least six points. Last year’s Top-10 teams in returning production saw their win total increase by a combined 25 games, from 45 in 2017 to 70 wins, in 2018.

Coach Fu's cultural is R.A.T.T. where... right now, heading into August Camp 2019???

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Upset percentage=33% (per sb.nation)
#wimps!
Virginia Tech=highmediumBoston College=highmedium

LETS GO!

Hokies!

 bourbonstreet**

 

 

 

84 Responses You are logged in as Test

  1. I can usually decipher your writings to some degree, but your writing style just loses me this time. You might be erudite as all get out, but it appears to me you doubled down on your inside-your-mind jargon. I’ve got to pass on you this time.

    1. 1) coach fu and staff taking a page from Frank’s book – relationship building

      2) recruiting = need to see proof on the field before possible lift off.

      3) big games : BC, ODU, Miami, ND, Charlottesville community college.

    2. I actually thought this article was the easiest ever to follow. In summary, Every player has his own way to respond to motivation. I think the analysis of Hugs is right on.

      1. I understood it. If you’re a younger reader, some of B-Street’s references may be unfamiliar. I find his writings to be almost poetic, artistic, yet mind-boggling at times. You need to be attentive in class when reading B-Street’s articles.

        1. Yes. I walk in?

          Turn your selfie machine: “OFF”.

          b.street

  2. Okay. Tho’ I’d encourage the cultural and Fu’s cultural/recruiting numbers a 2nd time.
    Some real good R&D in there.

    God Bless/Godspeed!!!
    b.street

  3. It’s great I only have to figure out what you are saying as trying to figure you and Buzz out was to much for my brain. I am very worried on the direction of our recruiting under Fu and can’t wait to be proven wrong thanks b.street

    1. You only say that because you good Ser are, correct.

      This year… this year’s smaller class… being dLine beaten out…
      upswing at U.n.c. recruiting… still on a downswing in the Tidewater area?

      Yup, agry.
      LOT to be nervy about there in macro or strategic measures.

      b.street

  4. I’m sorry, I tried, I really did. However, I’m neither patient nor cerebral enough to stop and translate/decipher each and every sentence.
    I’m absolutely certain you made some excellent points but they shall remain a mystery to me.

  5. “Street: I love you man but I gotta say I gave up trying to read, much less understand, what you were trying to say in this article. Too much work to decipher. Sorry, dude. Keep up the (mostly) good work but you lost me early and often in this one. Peace.

  6. Well done, Sir. Can we (accurately) extrapolate that Fu is now a hugger rather than . . . a tugger? Did he actually inquire of Frank of how to have a thug to dinner?

    I have to think he did b/c I 👂 you loud and clear. Here’s to hoping- si senior 🍺! If Fu can figure this out in his young/early career, it could be, grate.

    Fu can be a great coach if he is humble/smart enough to learn from his mistakes. From what I can tell this early in his career, this 🎱 would say; proceed.

    1. No.
      Not quite.

      Tho’ he at least has shown signs of learning from his ways/misQ’s.
      That’s an encouragement. he’s not *that* static.
      Maybe not dynamic? Tho’ less, fixed.

      b.street

  7. Guess I must be crazy, I didn’t have an issue with reading this at all. We’ll see if getting rid of the malcontents solves the problem or if the problem goes deeper to the coaching staff/style. Of course, in most sporting things – winning solves a lot of problems.

    Fu was/is in tough situation. If he could have kicked those guys off at year one he probably would have but then the team would REALLY be in trouble and the bowl streak gone.

    I am not a Fu apologist but he’s had some things happen out of his control. Evans leaving probably cost the team a better season his second year and half the defense leaving early certainly didn’t help matters in ’18. With his own players taking over, these next three years will show the trajectory of the program (although the embarrassingly easy ’19 schedule may make things look better short term).

    1. Evans left… largely… due to his (Fu’s) inflexibility with Evans breaking his O’s shape.
      (on “Go” plays that went or hit for big outcomes)

      Tho’ you do have to (now) wonder if Evans 2019, stays?

      b.street

      1. Evans should have stayed but I do wonder if part of his leaving was having to run the ball so much (as Evans himself supposedly told people).

  8. Defence may leave us swinging for de fence like a ninth inning come from behind singles hitter. It may get rocky fast.

    1. Not umpossible.

      The Over might not be a bad game no.1 bet now that Eye thinks about it either…

      b.street

  9. Old man me got about 15% of that. Translation very difficult….why…..just, why do you write like that?

    1. I understood every word. I have been saying this for the last year coach Fu is dead when it comes to recruiting the state especially the 757. Word is out about his ultra-conservative mid-western approach to dealing with 21st century African American young men. It has spread on social media from former players to potential future recruits. He may have a good record next year because of our schedule. But after that, his recruiting mistakes will catch up to us. Mark my words.

      1. (FAR-out POTD!)

        I really hope the Cam Goode D.C./757 residue does not agree.
        I really hope the UNC hiring/recruiting does not agree.
        I really hope all the 2018 departures do not agree.

        tho’ they just, might.
        I would not bet against that in point of fact.

        : (
        b.street

      2. The 757 is a cesspool and not producing like it once did anyway. Can’t let the inmates (thugs) like T Hill run the asylum. If his “ultra conservative” approach gets their panties in a wad on social media then so be it. Good riddance. Plenty of talent elsewhere…

        1. Have to agree with you. We have cast a wider/better net. 7 on 7 has done the 757 no good.

      3. Memphis had more African-American players than Tech and he did well there? I think it may be more to do with his culture vs. Frank Beamer’s. Frank was more tolerable of player’s mistakes. Frank gave 2nd, 3rd, and even 4th chances. Fuente only gives 2nd chances (maybe zero chances for a few players?). It was easier giving 3rd chances back in Bobby Bowden’s and Beamer’s day. Political correctness has changed things. Universities are quicker to kick out athletes over sexual matters (guilty or not) because of the things like the #MeToo movement. College presidents don’t want that bad press. It can cost them their job in day or two.

        1. …interesting…

          as I would have said Discipline is down overall since Frank left.

          Tho’ I do see what you meant in the executive branch.
          Yah; they could expense their very own non-football job over football this/that.

          b.street

  10. I am a 50 year season ticket holder and financial supporter. Really worried about recruiting and the lack of enthusiasm and excitement surrounding the football program. Many fans state that recruiting rankings don’t matter but if that is true, why are all of the top tier programs filled with 4 and 5 star recruits? Many more seasons like we have recently experienced will result in very low expectations and general lack of interest in the program!

    1. I had thought Fu’ had/was just about to turn the program cleansing and now free
      to be a program coaching/building guy; corner.

      maybe or real close if “not yet”.

      tho’ the above poster hit my fears outta the park.
      Fu’ may be into macro things he can not change and self things he won’t change.

      b.street

  11. I understood every word. I have been saying this for the last year coach Fu is dead when it comes to recruiting the state especially the 757. Word is out about his ultra conservative mid-western approach to dealing with 21st century African American young mean. It has spread on social media from former players to potential future recruits. He may have good record next year because of our schedule. But after that his recruiting mistakes will catch to us. Mark my words

    1. Not sure we were doing much in 757 last 5 years of Beamer . Remember Stinney let go little Beams bought in and and then Burden but not much change recruiting wise down there trying to think who we got down there the last 5 years of Beamer but no bells rung .

      1. I’m sharing the info I’ve gotten from real sources not guess work. I’m not a Fu -hater, I hoped the best for him and still do. I think it’s just over for recruiting in the state with him.

        1. there is growing evidence to this… disaffect.
          : (

          you could just be right.

          b.street

  12. Unfortunately I think the culture had gone south before Fu had arrived and recruiting too . Not a champion of FU by any means but he needs it to be his team with his guys before I join the bash crowd . Please tell me the significant O players that have been drafted in the last 7 or so years since David Wilson . Pretty much none = 0 unless you count a couple very late rounders who didn’t make it .Lefty had to go get Phillips and Ford and they played starting day one and had to play every day for 3-4 years and when they left there was still no skill players to take their place . That was what athletes thought of the shit show we put out there on offense the last 5-6 years Beamer was here. I will bet big money that when Fus first two classes graduate he will have some guys drafted high maybe very high .

    1. hope so on high round Fu’ guys.

      …tho’ what if O talent is still, slipping?

      b.street

      1. We are getting ready to find out because most of all the O are all his guys very few old guard left.
        Only one senior in the group . What say you if this young crew challenges VT O records and 10 come back next year . Does that mean the recruiting was is better or not ? Because recruiting to me is what they do when they play not what some rating they got in high school was performance like PPG and Total yardage ect. To date most was on what was left from prior regime but not anymore .That excuse will fade away

        1. Memphis would say his coaching (the verb) is Fu’s best attribute.
          And he did not have any richy rich recruiting pipelines to burn in Elvis land; either.

          b.street

  13. I’ve gotten more from the responses and replies than I got from the article. Thanks one and all for the interpretations!

    1. 2 realllllllllly pensive replies thus far!

      yea team!!!

      b.street

  14. Mochas Gracias as it’s time for some Hokie Football talk.

    “…You become what you accept…” words to live bye as to bad habits, knuckleheads & negative behaviour.

    Aka sometimes you gotta break eggs to make a championship cake. Between fireworks celebrations, Section Crew sees the offense being the difference in Chestnut Hill with a few stops going our way as Coach Cornelsen May have to play a bit of catch me if you can aggressiveness. Later Da U, will implode as the cerebral-less DE blows a gasket or two in his homecoming. Fighting Catholics…TBD, Coach Kelly can recruit but can QB Book take the next step TBD, as noted by the B’Street tons of new faces in those Golden Helmets. Don’t see the Wahoo’s recovery from 2-7 start and Pinto sent packing his RV back west. Meanwhile the annual Butt whooping of the powder blue continues.

    Overall record = big uptick as Coach Fuente, Staff & VT Team become what they expect.

    Let’s Go… Hokies.

    1. grate last line mi amigo!

      they need to do just that.
      sooneer=best (not better) as well.

      The Fu’ture is, … now.

      b.street

  15. I started reading this, then started reading it carefully to try and follow you, then simply scanned it, and then gave up and went on to the end. I did examine your Latin, which made more sense than the article. All told, a lot too cute for me.

    1. I thought that (Latin) a good little gig at Fu’.

      : )
      b.street

      1. Back atcha. You’re a Bluefield Beaver and I confess to be a Princeton Tiger from across Mercer County But at least we bond on being Hokies. Keep ’em coming. AH.

        1. Awesome!

          Used to enjoy catching (she) Tigers by the tail—–>b.street
          ; )

          (big (older) Coach Spadaro(sp) fan, coach Chmara took him with him to Fauquier)

  16. Great work B.street! I could actually make sense of this one – agree with Yardbird above.

    1. the mo’ critical analysis I write the less it is understood. (seemingly…)

      3 weeks prior to signing DAX I wrote: ‘we go dat work.’
      100% comprehension.

      go, … fig’?

      b.street

  17. Fuente is too far East for his type of Recruiting. Things you lose might never be fixed. IMHO, he kept some dead weight on his staff and brought/hired one with it. And My fan interest has eroded , been a fan since the 60’s, so don’t want to hear any BS … Jury might be going into the Chamber here soon…

    1. Fuente is too far East for his type of Recruiting. Things you lose might never be fixed.

      Grate line!

      Tho’ “east” of what for clarity?
      Think I got that– think I agry; too.

      TIA!
      b.street

  18. We are rapidly approaching a mindset of accepting and just being OK

    1. ahhhhhhhhhhhh…. hmmmmmmm…

      I dunno… tho’ I do not 100% rebuke you either.
      And that’s scary that I had to pause to consider that.

      In and of itself.

      b.street

    2. That mindset has been persistent among quite big chunk of VT fans for a long time, probably not a majority, but not negligible. The folks who are just happy VT’s in a big conference (or a conference at all), has a little bit of name recognition and VMI isn’t a big game anymore. Only thing that’s going to put a dent in their numbers is the grim reaper.

      The money, expenditures and revenues, tells the truest tale and what’s is saying is that VT’s over-performance relative to where you would expect based on financials is just reverting to the mean over the last several years. The worse part of that is that even with Drive For 25, the growth rate isn’t remotely there.

      You want a real sobering stat when it comes to money? For title game appearances in the BCS era and beyond, no program has less money than VT. The 2 next-closest programs still spend about 21M more, per year, on athletics than VT. One of them is Nebraska, the other one, speaking of overachievers, is Clemson (if they don’t massively catch up their revenue to performance they’ll fall off their plateau in the next 10 years). Everyone else who ever played for a title in the last 20 years, forget it, it’s 30M more (Georgia and Oregon) all the way up to over 100M more (Texas).

  19. this is a tough project for any coach. its a make or break season for FU, Bud and the players. Its the players who have to tackle on the edge, squeeze the gap, beat the block, and rally to the ball. the players are responsible for the catches, tackles and missed assignments. Lets hope this is a big step in the Championship direction. Coastal needs reclaimed. everything else is gravy.

    1. Coastal alpha would be a BIG get-back.
      IF/when he can…

      b.street

  20. Good article, but have to say I respectfully disagree with your core premise. Ideally we all want VT to attract the best talent possible. The easiest way to do that is to cater to recruits, tell them what they want to hear, and give them a really, really long leash once they arrive. The tougher, and more long-term approach, is to set out a disciplined culture, stick to it, and win enough that talent will want to be part of your program even if that means putting up with more rules than you’d like to.

    While there is no doubt that Fuente is a lot less of a “hugger” than Beamer, I have yet to hear about any case where he has gone Bobby Knight on a player… in other words, yelling or berating just for the sake of being a jerk. He just doesn’t strike me like that. No one would want a coach like that for VT, I think. But thinking that he needs to dole out more hugs, that his Midwestern values are not a good fit for African-American players from the East, well to me that is a classic case of what the late great Daniel Patrick Moynihan termed “defining deviancy down”. If this generation of players can’t handle discipline and can’t handle playing for a coach that expects it, is that a failing of the coach or of the players? Is the answer to throw up your hands and give up on your principles just to be able to sign the best athletes, or is the answer to have to work harder, cast a wider net, and value player development and coachability over raw talent?

    The nice thing about sports is that results matter and these questions will be decided not on Twitter or message boards, but on the field. I was as disappointed as anyone in last season but am not ready to conclude after that one year that Fuente’s approach is wrong or that we are in full panic mode. This season, next, and maybe the one after will be a much better barometer of the state of the program, and the effectiveness of Fuente’s culture reboot. I still have faith that taking the harder road may pay off long term, but totally agree that if we don’t start winning again really soon, the “tough hard smart” approach will completely stop to resonate with any players, regardless of where they are from.

    1. Not sayin’ the berating was: “Fu'”.

      (tho’ it was, Caucassian, and it was better/easier when it was from Scott/Mitch’).
      Trust me on the colorful social dynamics of dat.
      (be that right or not so much…)

      b.street

  21. Perhaps in the future some willing scribe will layout for an old dummy like me what exactly is meant when to quote a previous comment “coach Fu is dead recruiting the state… ultra conservative mid-western approach to dealing with 21st century African American young men” ( not working).

    I truly don’t understand.

    Fixing something requires identifying what is broke? concrete steps?

    Will this curse (?) Remain in perpetuity?

    1. I’m happy to explain my comment. Fuente shot himself in the foot 2 years ago when he began to interject himself into his players making social media posts that supported issues that young African American men feel strongly about like kapernick protest against police brutality and other topics he should have stayed away from. That conservative MAGA approach may work in other areas in this country but when it becomes to recruiting players in this state it won’t work. The word is out now -whether completely true or not. He is tainted in regards to the inner circle of the former players that he bumped heads and players playing back in the 757. The only thing that will change this is a new face of the program. I hope I’m wrong but if not we are dead in recruiting until then.

      1. Thank you for reply. Doing a few little mind experiments using different scenarios, inputs, likely range of possible outcomes etc.

      2. EPIC!

        let me know if you want some column space on this topic.
        Seriously. Very. I’ll make room for you in the next one.
        Any length you want.

        Your analysis is amazing.
        bravo!!!

        b.streeet

        1. Sure no problem. I’m a hokie fan of 19 years. Hit me at [email protected] if you want to put something together.

          Ps: I think I was kicked of the free football board recently for sharing this info. People thought I was trolling and didn’t want to hear the truth. I don’t know if Will Stewart did it or not. I sent him a email to ask about it.
          Haven’t heard a response from him or the techsideline staff.

          1. …understood.

            In that case; I will have to consider their response to this… as I have to stay at least
            a little clean with them.

            Tho’ I’ve C&P what you said upstairs into MS Paint .jpeg’s already.
            (omitting/protecting your name)
            Will send you eMail shorty… God willing…

            b.street

          2. Steve:

            I sent you an eMail on Tue. nite.

            Maybe it got marked spam or trash or whatever?
            (my handle sometimes does for some servers…)

            HTH’s
            b.street

      3. This wouldn’t completely surprise me, but only because in the highly insular world of college football head coaches you’d probably find 90-95% of them having the same mindset and opinions if they told you how they really feel, no coachspeak or non-answer deflections.

        1. +several just for: “insular”.

          love that word in a modern context—–>b.street

  22. I’ve reached the point trying to make sense of these articles is a waste of time. If the other contributors wrote in the same manner, I wouldn’t” be a subscriber very long…..just me!

    1. It’s 1,000 FREE.

      So you are not $ubscribing, right?

      b.street

        1. No worries.

          I aim to please.
          Happy Tue. evening to you daddio.

          b.street

  23. Great, great article! It’s such a common philosophical coaching contrast and the difference between Fu and Beamer is pretty stark.

    Dabo and Tony Bennett seem to be two prime examples of coaches that can institute a culture where a disciplined identity is established, compassionately. While it’s a given that Fu’s coaching relies less on the spiritual…does compassion have a place in Fu’s move forward? Or are they mutually exclusive?

    1. does compassion have a place in Fu’s move forward? Or are they mutually exclusive?”

      I don’t really know?

      I can see how they would seem to undercut each other.

      Almost like he needs to go review Air Force, Army, Navy’s top-10 recruits,
      scour any military prep school and the like to find spartan HIS
      way type of kids.

      (almost makes me wonder if he was this strict @Memphis?)
      Or did being @Tech change/unleash him a bit?

      b.street

      1. Fuente benched his 1 and only 4-star recruit on the 2015 roster, a RB named Jae’lon Oglesby, for the game against Tulsa right after they had the huge upset win over Ole Miss, because Oglesby was dogging it in practice the week between. You may have trouble finding more about this, though, because of a far worse incident the following year leading to his dismissal.

  24. It is really hard to hug a thug when he has lost all control and unwilling to listen and not receiving plus he has turned on his own family, (team Members). Hugging at that point quickly turns to accepting of bad behavior that has just torn apart unity in the family with words that cannot be removed. Some where in the idea of hug has to be discipline or in the next situation you receive the same destruction.

    1. Oh there are spartan disciplinarians who win.

      Paul Brown.
      Lombardi.

      My coach Chmara.

      tho’ Fu’ cracking the toe the line whip in year no.3 was a real cultural spoiler.
      Gotta be codified be you strict as hell or everyone’s B.F.F.
      (from day no.1 I mean)

      b.street

  25. I learned a great deal from the responses, not so much from the article. Thanks folks.

  26. Great article. I like the writing style others “complain” about. Makes you read more intently.
    I would love a TOS-free week for the release of info surrounding the culture the last 2 years – ie, specific events. I have heard a few stories, but would love to hear it all. I know will never happen, but if anyone would like to direct message me deets, please do it! I’ll provide the email

    1. We have no TOS, here.
      (and we never ever will)

      write whatever you like…

      b.street

  27. The “B-street Schlick”: The Art of How to Make the Obvious Unreadable; Undechiferable; and a Wasteful Use of Time

  28. B’street not talking about spartan disciplinarian (old school not sure it works in today’s culture) but consequences that defuse the implosion. Setting him on the bench or sending him to the locker room or some other way quiet the noise and anger. Not sure Miami helps this young man because it seems the implosion is constant there especially when things are not going their way. He has tremendous ability but will not be realized to its fullest until he gets his head straight. The very best of success for him except when VT is on the other side of the ball.

    1. oh, no doubt… Miami could be the worst thing to happen to Hill.

      Just what he did NOT need.
      Not umpossible at all.

      b.street

  29. bourbonstreet reminds me of a cross between Yoda, our former basketball coach Wuzz Billiams (a.k.a. Buzzard, a.k.a. Carpetbuzzer), a defective keyboard, and a big ol’ supply of… bourbon, bought in economy sized containers, which is freely imbibed whilst slapping these headache inducing articles together.

    Something of an acquired taste. Not saying at all bad, but I do keep the bottle of aspirin close by, before attempting a read.

    There is a warning label here somewhere, right? Oh, here it is…

    DISCLAIMER: Reading the sometimes correctly spelled English collection of words by this author, may cause any or all of the following: dizzyness, nausea, euphoria, intoxication, rage, confusion, education, sudden urges to rewatch the Grammys, spousal abuse. Do not operate heavy machinery while reading. Adjusting your screen may assist you in making it to the last collection of letters in said alleged articles. Do NOT post any responses to these gatherings of whimsical fancies, else you risk being sucked into this black hole of an alternate universe.

    Ooops. Wish I had read the full disclaimer.

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